Everything is not as it seems
by Souls Will Cry- ArceusMinion
Summary: Leo, a dragon that couldn't get his element right starts having dreams of being a human. And a Tenebris character saying that he is responsible for something that happened to Leo. What does this all mean? Only one way to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**Well I kept you guys waiting did I? I apologize for the wait but I scrapped so many copies of this because I re read things carefully now and see if things make sense. I know that later on in this, it will begin to make sense. I also feel like I am a kid again, writing stuff like this. I remember playing spyro the dragon on the PS1 when I could. God that was the good times, anyway, let us just get on with the story.**

I awoke to the sounds of the city around me, I wanted to go and join in their daily activities, to feel normal. However, what was the point when all that would happen was more pain than what was already there? I sighed as I thought about my life, nothing but pain and depression came to mind when I thought about it. I slowly stood up, my legs shaking from how weak I felt. I walked shakily over to a mirror that stood embedded into the wall. I sighed as I looked at the being in the mirror. An emerald green drake with garnet red eyes stared back. I slowly began to turn and walk away from the mirror feeling shame well up inside me as I lay back down on the cold floor.

A knock on the door startled me before I turned my body so I had my back to the door. "Leo, are you in there?" a concerned voice from the other side asked. I slowly lifted my head to stare at the door; I slowly stood up and began to walk toward the door. "Leo?" It asked again making me sigh quietly as I knew whom it was. "I'm here." I said slowly opening the door to see my only real friend here. A blood red drake with ruby irises stepped inside before turning to look at me. "You look sick, are you feeling okay?" She asked me making me sigh as I looked to the floor. "I'm fine. Don't worry yourself about me." I replied sadly, she lifted my head to look at her in the eyes.

"Leo something is bothering you. I can't help you if you don't tell me about it." She reasoned before I stepped back. "Why do you care so much?" I asked her, "I am a freak, my colours got mixed up. I look like an earth or wind drake yet I can only control fire. I can't see why you would care so much when I'm an abomination." I continued seeing her eyes show shock before she walked up to me slowly. "Leo, I care because you and I are friends. We have known each other even before we discovered our elemental abilities. I do not see you as a freak or an abomination just on appearances alone; I am doing what I do because of our friendship." She said before she draped a wing over my back making me flinch from the contact.

She saw me flinch and gently rested a paw over my own. "Why was I born inferno?" I asked her seeing her look at me before she spoke. "I don't know, but I'm glad to have a friend like you Leo." She said making me sigh quietly as I looked to the floor again. "Can you tell me something Leo?" She asked me making me look up at her. "Yeah depending if I have the answer." I replied seeing her look into my eyes as she spoke. "Why do you keep yourself isolated? It stops others from seeing you for you." She said making me lay down as I prepared to answer. "I stay isolated because of how much my life is messed up. No matter what I do, I always, hear the same things repeatedly. In the end, to avoid most of the hate I stay in here."

My response made her look at me seriously. "What do you mean 'most of' Leo?" She asked me making me sigh as it was going to happen eventually. "Follow me." I said as I slowly stood up again and shrugged her wing off me; I walked back to a shelf filled with letters. "Read these, they contain most of the answers you will be seeking as I tell you." I told her seeing her start to read them I took a deep breath to steady myself before I began. "I grew up on the streets as you know. I thought nothing of it until my elemental ability turned out to be fire. When I found out I began seeing myself as a freak, I slowly began to hate myself for what happened. I would sometimes wish I knew my parents so I could ask them about this."

My words made her stop reading to look up at me. "However, it didn't stop when I moved into here; your family is too generous to me. I knew though, that most of the damage was done. I thought that your family was only doing this to keep you happy, I still do. However, the mental damage, while severe, is nothing compared to the physical." I said seeing her looking livid as she read a letter with a green leaf on the back of it making me sigh knowing what it said. "Leo, why do you keep degrading yourself? You're just as good as anyone in the temple if not more." She said making me sigh as I slowly walked back over to the shelf. I scanned through the letters still there before I found the one I was looking for.

"Read this one. In your head or out loud I couldn't care." I said handing her the letter seeing her begin to read. "Leo, we are sorry to inform you that while you do possess the qualities of a fellow member of the temple we can't accept you, there are too many factors to put into this letter so I will sum it up. I need warriors that are not filled with mystery, while you are a capable fighter we know nothing of your background or your heritage. The second thing is that when we asked about your appearance being misleading you answered almost as if we had physically harmed you. You are too unstable to be a member of the temple and that is the harsh reality of it. Not a lot of dragons get in here so don't feel too bad about it."

She stopped reading it to look at me with sadness walking over to me and draping her wing over me again. "Why didn't you say that you never knew your parents?" She asked gently making me sigh as I laid my head down onto my front paws. "I did, they just don't put it in the letter to make themselves feel better about ignoring the struggling of others." I replied before another knock on the door was heard. "I'll get it." I told her before I carefully stood up and walked to the door opening it slightly to see a purple drake standing there. "Leo?" He asked making me harden my glare, as I knew the voice. "What is it Spyro?" I asked him seeing him holding out a letter.

"You could have slid it under the door, what do you want?" I asked again seeing spyro sigh as he dropped the letter. "I talked to the guardians." He began before I chuckled darkly. "Forget it." I said seeing him look at me shocked. "What?" He asked me making me laugh. "They want to either apologize or insult me just like the rest of the race. I don't care; you can deliver them my response as previously stated." I said picking up the letter and closing the door. I looked at the letter seeing it was from the fire guardian Ignitus. I opened it and began to read aloud quietly. "Leo, you may dislike me for this but I sent someone to watch you after you received our last letter."

The line made my rage emerge slightly. My tail stiffening, wings flaring outward slightly. "We know now as to why you hide on some very personal questions, we should have been more respectful. Nevertheless, we made another decision. If you still dislike us, we will understand if you say no. However, if you can find it to forgive, we are welcoming you to the temple at any time." I sighed as I finished feeling something was off with the letter. (The guardians apologizing probably want me to relax before this starts all over again.) I thought before I felt Inferno wrap a wing over my back as she gently led me to a still unused bed. "Get some rest Leo. You look like you are going to collapse any minute."

Her words made me smile as I nodded. I slowly lifted her wing off me before I settled near the bed on the floor curling into a ball and closing my eyes to sleep. I was almost asleep when I felt Inferno lie down beside me and drape her wing over me. I slowly began to feel heat rising to my face as I blushed as her head was resting close to mine. I thought nothing of it as I closed my eyes and fell asleep. I awoke to a loud banging on the door. I stood up quickly hearing a small groan of discomfort from Inferno as she woke up as well. "Stay here." I whispered seriously before I walked over to the door and opened it. I saw Inferno's mother standing there looking livid.

"What have you done to Inferno?" She asked me making me smile as I opened the door fully. "I have done nothing to Inferno miss. You should know that if anything were to happen I wouldn't hide from it." I said as I watched her eye me suspiciously before she began tracing her scent. I tensed when she sniffed my back making me feel anxious especially when she went into the room and came out staring angrily at me. "Why did you confuse her mind?" Se snarled at me making me sigh as I slowly rested me neck against the wall. "I never confused anyone's mind but my own. I wonder why she cares for me like she does. I am nobody, a freak of nature that couldn't get their element right."

My words, while true, made her dart her head forward to press my neck harder against the wall as a talon cut across the membrane in my wing making me growl in pain. My blood dripping onto the floor I stared at her with my eyes becoming unfocused from the pain. "Kill me." I muttered quietly, my will to live finally gone. At my words, I felt myself hit the floor as she released me. "Why should I?" She asked, sounding both shocked and curious. "My will to live is gone, I could do it myself but that gives the others more reason to hate me in the afterlife. The only one that shows any real sign of mutual acceptance is Inferno, but she will forget me in time."

My words were faint, barely above a whisper as my instincts ruled my mind telling me to conserve as much energy as I could for my survival. My body limp for the same reason. "Leo, why do you say that she will forget you in time?" Inferno's mother asked me while Inferno entered the room, raced to my side and proceeded to nuzzle me gently. "Because," I began, my voice becoming gruff. "Because, she can do so much better, than a freak like me, I would dishonour her name and yours." I muttered quietly. The last of my energy leaving me closing my eyes slowly, feeling Inferno nuzzle me harder as something dripped onto my scales from where she was. It took me a while to realise that she was crying; I felt the remainder of my energy leave me rendering me unconscious.

 **Unconscious scene.**

I opened my eyes to find myself in a field with houses surrounding the field. The structure looked too small for dragons to fit. "Hey Leo, you zoned out again." A male voice said behind me making me jump before I turned around. In front of me was a bipedal creature, he looked like an ape with barely any fur on him except for the top of his head. He wore all black clothing with a red skull on his upper body attire. "Do I know you?" I asked him seeing him laugh heartily. "You must be joking. Leo, we're like brothers." He said grasping my shoulder, his hand reaching around my shoulder when I knew it should not. I looked at his hand to find that I was the same being that this man was.

"I forget names easy." I lied, seeing him look at me before shaking his head slowly, that same grin on his face. "It's Tenebris." He stated making me step back out of instinct knowing what that name translates to. "Darkness, is your name, Tenebris translates to Darkness." I said seeing him chuckle darkly before he stared into my eyes, is eyes which were once a calm ocean blue were now a dark blood red. "You caught on. I hope you are enjoying what happened." He chuckled. I was confused. "What happened? I don't understand." I asked seeing him laugh, shaking his head. "I will tell you in time, if you have not figured it out by then. If you want to know more, ask the guardians." Tenebris said before I was it in the neck knocking me out.

 **End scene.**

I awoke later to find myself in the bed with Inferno's mother staring at me with a blank expression. I slowly tried to rise into a standing position feeling something on my back bring me back down. I felt something move beside me making me freeze up as whoever it was nuzzled the underside of my neck fiercely. "I apologize for my actions Leo, I let my emotions take control instead of thinking it through, I ask for your forgiveness for my actions." Inferno's mother said sadly. I smiled slightly at her. "I accept the apology, though it wasn't necessary." I replied before looking at what was pinning me down to the bed seeing Inferno staring at me with a look of sorrow.

"I thought you were gone Leo." Inferno whimpered making me sigh as I slowly shook my head. "I can't leave the land of living; I need to speak to the guardians." I said slowly sliding out from under Inferno's wing. Hearing her sigh slightly, I stood up and walked to the door; I made my way out into the crowded city of Warfang feeling eyes bore into me from all directions. I began to notice that the inhabitants just went on as if I did not exist which was fine with me. I continued on the way to the temple, seeing dragons stare at my wing as I passed them. (Must be the wounds.) I concluded with a small smirk on the corner of my lips showing. I reached the stairwell leading up to the temple.

I sighed as I began to climb it seeing the dragons that were on the stairs already, looking at me with suspicion. "Cannot blame them though. I would be wary if someone looking like me just showed up out of nowhere." I whispered lightly to myself. I reached the top of the stairs bumping into Cynder as I did. "Watch it." She snarled making me sigh as I slowly shook my head. "I apologize." I stated humbly seeing her look turn into shock. "Leo?" she asked with curiosity, I nodded in response. "I'm here to talk to the guardians about something that has just come up." I said slowly entering the temple; the guardians are most likely in the main chamber. "Can I ask what has come up?" Cynder asked me, her voice startling me.

"It would take too long to explain." I responded seeing her laugh lightly, the main chamber coming into view. I pushed open the door and stepped inside seeing the guardians look at me. "Leo, have you reconsidered?" Ignitus asked me. "I'm sorry to say no," I began seeing him nod with understanding. "However, I need to ask you all something. Something unusual happened to me recently. Do you have any memories of any being called Tenebris?" I asked seeing them all snap to look at me. "What do you know of this being?" Ignitus asked, sounding nervous; "All I know is that he was a creature I had never seen before, like an ape. With hardly any hair on him, only on the top of his head. He said that something happened to me because of him, and I should ask you if I wanted answers."

My words shocked them as they stared at Ignitus for an answer, seeing him scoff lightly. "I remember a being with that name. But what I know isn't important." He stated, brushing it off. "I think you do know something, you just aren't telling me." I began, walking towards him slowly. "I think that you know exactly what happened to me and are trying to ignore it either out of guilt or shame. So which is it?" I demanded, getting as close to him as I could. He shook his head, looking at me sadly. "Neither, it is just that I don't want you thinking any different of us than you already do." He explained making me sigh as I looked at his face. "You know I think you all hate me because of my element right?"

My words made him stare at me with confusion and shock. Stepping forward himself, coming to stand in front of me. "Why do you think we hate you because of your element?" He asked calmly, though I could tell he was supressing his anger; "Because look at me, my scale colour should suggest that I'm an earth or wind element, yet my element is fire. My past was nice until I found out my element." I replied, trying to supress the urge to growl in disgust; "I understand Leo. You feel that the others have mistreated you for only your element." He stated before I cut him off. "Not just that, it is the fact that along with everything else, I was broken again and again and you all did nothing to stop it. I grew to hate you."

 **Not the best first chapter coming in at only 3k words but it makes it easier to write and I do hope that you can understand that with the book I am writing it saps a lot of my time and creativity. Nevertheless, I still tried my best on this. I do not know if this is sufficient as promised but I try…anyway. I hope you all have a good day, night, evening, morning, whatever it may be. Moreover, I will see you all, in the next chapter…hopefully.**


	2. Chapter 2

My words made Ignitus stare at me with understanding. "I thought you would say that. Nevertheless, you must look at it from our view. In all of recorded history, no dragon has been able to choose an element. You are the first so it's understandable that no one will be able to easily accept you." Ignitus sombrely spoke as he looked at me. I was starting to see why he did what he did. "I am starting to understand; it does not mean however, that you can let the village turn on one of its own. For that matter, your title is guardian is it not. Have you forgotten what that term meant?" I argued back. He simply nodded in response. I was starting to get frustrated with the fire guardian.

"You must realize that if we did calm them down. It might have turned the town against us. Rebellions would spring up. We couldn't risk it." He said in a desperate voice. "I get it, the needs of the many over the needs of the few, or the one. It was not that hard of a decision. However, maybe you should have gotten rid of me. I was a street dweller until I was taken in." I said in a defensive voice. I sighed realizing that I had told him more about my past. "You have lived a life no one deserves." Ignitus whispered, barely audible for me to hear and understand. "I learnt to deal with it. Those were actually the good years. At least people could understand my namesake. They actually treated me like one of their own. Then when my elemental ability was discovered it all went to hell."

My voice was shaky near the end as the memories resurfaced; I quickly pushed them back to the back of my mind so that I did not appear weak. "Leo. Do not talk anymore. We here at the temple are always willing to accommodate someone in need. And if you need a little help we are always here to help you." He said with a sympathetic smile making me crack a small genuine smile in reply. I started to walk out of the temple with Cynder following me, still eyeing me suspiciously, as we walked down the stairs. "You know you don't have to accompany me everywhere." I told her as she stopped by my side. "I know that. However, I also know that you are not all what you say you are. I saw your exam results."

That comment made me snap my head to stare at her with my stance lowering slightly. "What did you read of them?" I asked her, my back popping at the stance I was in. "It surpasses all of the others; it is on par with me or Spyro. I am surprised you are on our level with only hand-to-hand combat." She said making me shake my head slowly with a dark chuckle. "Then train harder, if I can be on a legends level with only close quarters then you need to train more. The main threat may be over, but internal demons are a lot harder to defeat." I told her; I began feeling uneasy and nauseous as my vision started to fade in and out of focus. I felt a tail wrap around my side and drag me back towards the temple as I lost conscious.

 **Unconscious scene.**

I was again in the bi pedal form; the surrounding trees looked strangely familiar. "I see that you have returned. Have you figured it out yet?" The voice of Tenebris asked behind me making me whip around to stare into his blood red eyes. "No I haven't, but I don't see what I was meant to figure out exactly." I replied seeing him smirk, fangs showing; "I can only say that you were once this form, a human." He said smirking as I shook my head. "There is no way that is possible; the species and anatomy difference is too different." I reply, my voice carrying my obvious denial. "Think about it Leo, your favourite colour combination is red and green. Your favourite element is fire. Does that sound like you Leo?" he asked making my eyes widen at what he said. I stepped back away from him, looking into his eyes as I shook my head. My eyes never left his as I was hit in the neck again.

 **End Scene**

I awoke with a start, my eyes scanning the immediate area seeing that I was dragged back into the temple when I was out. "Leo?" I heard the voice of Ignitus ask me from my left. "What is it Ignitus?" I asked him seeing him come into my view with a serious look on his face. "What did you see?" He asked me making me sigh as I retold him the events of the encounters with Tenebris. "So you are him." Ignitus whispered, I guessed he did not want me to hear it. "So you do know about him. Who is he? What happened to me?" I asked him with anger boiling over in my voice. "Leo calm down. I do not know who he is exactly or what happened to you. All I know is that he is the remains of an enemy I had to face."

His words shocked me. (An enemy Ignitus himself had to face. It could be anyone then, all throughout history the guardians are prime targets for assassins. Every time though the only targets are Ignitus and Spyro. Recently though the assassins have targeted the recruits that came into the temple.) I thought with a scowl forming on my face. "So you know who he is to some extent, do you know what might have carried over?" I asked him seeing him look like he was in deep thought before answering. "He definitely has his attitude and deceiving words. His motives however seem to have changed so his malicious intent could be a part of his youthful naïve."

The explanation seemed to send a cold chill down my spine, a sense of foreboding filled the air. "So you figured it out?" A dark voice whispered, though we were the only ones in the room; "Not really just trying to wrap my head around the news." I said seeing a shadow appear in the middle of the room, the familiar dark red eyes filled with malicious intent. "Then let me help you figure it out." He laughed before he disappeared. I felt Ignitus stand closer to me. "Leo, get going." He said before I felt a sharp pain in my head forcing me to drop to the ground holding my head in my paws. ''Do not fight this, just let it happen'' a dark voice echoed in my head making me grunt in agony as I continued to resist.

I felt a cold pierce my heart making my eyes widen as sharp pain flared through my nerves. "Leo?" Ignitus asked me, his voice sounding as if he was at the far end of a tunnel. The pain worsened making it impossible to speak. "Stop resisting, I can help you." The voice whispered temptingly into my mind making me shake my head. "Leo, don't give in." Ignitus urge his words made my head throb in pain as a maniacal laughter filled my head. "Can you really trust the ones that want to hurt you Leo?" The voice in my head asked making me shiver, as the cold in my heart felt like it was a replacement of steel. "Leave, me, be." I managed to grunt out through the agony seeing Ignitus look at me with shock.

"Why do you want me to leave you be Leo, can you really be alone again?" The voice in my head taunted making my wings stiffen as I felt my resistance build as I pushed the voice slowly into the darkest depths of my mind. "I will get you eventually Leo, and the ones you care about will suffer." The voice vowed, before becoming completely silent leaving a migraine in its wake. "Leo are you alright?" Ignitus asked me making me nod my head as I shakily stood up. "I think so." I whispered, almost falling over as I stood up straight. "That took a lot out of you if you can't stand. I will get a medic to look at you. And they won't insult you like the rest of the village."

His words made me look at him with disbelief. "I doubt that, they would have to be like me in order for them to not." I said seeing him smile at me before he turned to leave. "Or be someone who knows who you are already." He said making me sigh as I looked around the room as I waited. The idea of being treated as an equal was as farfetched as a cheetah hunting a dragon. I waited for around about two minutes before the door opened and Cynder walked in. "Ignitus thought that with my experience that I would be best to try and understand what happened. So can you explain it Leo?" She asked carefully making me nod my head as she laid down in front of me to look into my eyes.

"I had another dream with this Tenebris, he decided to stop playing around with me and told me that I wasn't always a dragon, when I awoke I told Ignitus and then a voice in my head began to speak, it took all I had to resist its invasion into my mind. I tried to push it deep into my mind so that I won't have to hear it again but knowing my luck it won't happen like that." I said seeing Cynder stare at me with shock before she nodded. "It was almost the same with me when I was still known as the terror of the skies. The only difference is that when the voice started I let it in because I wanted to be treated equally and everyone that didn't see me as an equal were my enemies."

Cynder's words shocked me making me sigh as I looked at her. "Then we are more alike than we both first imagined it would seem. I guess I need to rest in order to recover from this?" I asked her seeing her look shocked at what I said. "Cynder are you alright?" I asked her seeing her look at me without moving. I finally moved slightly which caused her to speak. "Don't move, you need to rest. And yes it would seem that way." She said, with what I could swear was a slight blush on her face, she stood up and walked out of the room. "Time to get some rest then I guess." I said seeing, as I was alone again. I closed my eyes, curling into a ball with my tail near my face as I began to drift off to sleep.

I was almost asleep when I heard the door creak open, I looked up to see Inferno standing there with anxiety in her eyes. "Leo are you alright?" She asked me making me smile as I nodded. "Yeah, just a bit tired Inferno." I replied seeing her breathe a sigh of relief as she walked in and lay down next to me, doing the same thing so that we were almost pressed against each other. "I hope you can fight this Leo." She whispered in a shaky voice making me look at her with shock as she said that. "I hope so too Inferno, I hope so too." I replied nervously seeing her smile slightly. "I hope you know that I will be there for you Leo, always." She whispered, half asleep, making me blush slightly at her words.

"I know you will be there for me, I don't doubt you for a second." I said seeing her crack a smile as she pressed her side against mine before quickly returning to where it rested before. "I'm sorry Leo." Inferno whispered embarrassed making me chuckle lightly at her antics. "You've done it before Inferno, and we're friends. I trust you." I said closing my eyes. I felt her side gently touch my own as her wing draped across my back as she touched her head against mine for a second before shivering. I felt the calling of sleep take me as I lay there, a feeling of being normal embedded into my mind as I slowly tried to find the final piece before I fell asleep, it took me seconds to realize that I was at peace.

I awoke to hear someone lightly walking towards me. I cracked my eye open to see a cheetah with a knife in his hand. "If you live, then the master cannot be returned. You must die." He said as if recited. I quickly stood up, waking Inferno in the process. "What's going on?" she asked and I did not answer, only putting a single talon against her lips. I slowly advanced towards the cheetah. "What is your name before I end your pitiful existence." I snarled seeing him look up at me, the full moon showing me his eyes were glossed over. "I have no name, I am only a servant. And you must die." He responded in a monotone voice lunging forward with the knife.

I quickly sidestepped him and whipped him across the room. He hit the opposite wall with a sickening sound as he began to cough up blood from the wound. I picked up the knife he dropped in my tail, walking over to him and raising my tail into the air like a scorpion prepared to strike, as I asked him again. "What is your name?" I asked him seeing him laugh as he only repeated the same thing, albeit with a bit of a pause every now and then because of his wounds, sighing I brought the knife down across his torso effectively cutting him open. I sighed as the door opened again. I turned my head to look at Spyro with a look of confusion on his face. "What happened here?"

His question would have to wait as the cheetah began to laugh lightly. "If you could wait a second spyro this cheetah needs to regain his bearings before answering your question." I said before I grabbed the cheetah in my jaws and threw the almost lifeless cheetah to Spyro's feet. "Now to answer your question Spyro we were nearly assassinated." I told him bluntly seeing him look at me disbelievingly. "Why?" He asked and I sighed in frustration. "Something about 'if I live the master cannot be returned' or something like that." I said seeing him look at me shocked before he shook his head slowly. "I apologize for dragging you into this." He said making me look at him with a mix of anger and curiosity.

I slowly looked away from him to stare at the full moon outside. "If you were sorry for dragging us into this, then you should have arrived quicker, had I not been trained the hard way in my life, we would both be dead. I owe it to my training that she and I are still alive." I said motioning to Inferno with my tail. "I know but I was asleep until you threw this cheetah into the wall which is both of our walls. I hope that you know that Ignitus will want to hear it from you as to why there is a dead cheetah in your bed chambers." He said making me sigh. "These aren't my bed chambers, I am merely staying here until I have the strength to walk back to my home."

My words made Inferno look between Spyro and I with fear at the energy rising between us. "I apologize for waking you." I said, not wanting to wake up the whole temple with our fight. "It's alright, it was a life or death situation so I can forgive that. Also, these are your bedchambers if you decide to join us. Ignitus will send word to the local smiths to make a plaque with your name on it to nail onto the door. If you join us as a defender of the realms." He said making me laugh darkly. "Just like Ignitus to do that. He is a planner after all." I said seeing Spyro look at me confused as I slowly turned to Inferno. "I'm going for a walk, I'll be back." I said with a reassuring smile before walking out of the room.

I exited the temple to stare at the night sky before spreading my wings and taking flight. My body raising higher and higher until I was almost the size of a dragonfly from dragons on the ground. I took off towards the forest near Warfang. A sinister smile making its way onto my lips as I flew over the forest. 'Why am I flying this way?' I thought to myself before I felt that I could no longer control my body. I watched helplessly as I landed near a ruined castle; the walls were heavily destroyed with a single purple scale lying in front of where I landed. I saw myself pick it up before pain exploded from my mind, the suddenness of it making me fall unconscious from the pain.

 **Again only 3k words and I apologize but in all honesty, I had little time to actually write this. The last 2k+ were written in the same day. So if it seems rushed I apologize, I am working on doing a Christmas or holiday update-a-thon. Where I upload a new chapter for the holidays. My gift to you guys who have stuck with me through all of the trouble. One down, two to go.**

 **I apologize for not updating in a while as well but as I said I had little time to write this, I stayed up one night until 4:30am the next day to write this chapter. Also, a guy has approached me and asked if he can do an Audiobook of this story. I have agreed to let him do that. So if you want to do anything involving my stories I would ask that you please contact me beforehand. I would do the same to you so I ask that you show some form of honour in asking for permission if you do.**

 **Until next time guys. Hopefully this does not turn out to be my one update every six month thing. (And I just jinxed myself.)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Not a lot to say in the authors note at the beginning as I prefer to write the ending authors note first. Weird but it is how I am. I guess the thing I can thank you guys for is for getting this story past the 100 view count. It seems like a fantasy that back when I first started on FFN that I would get only ten views. Now I'm getting ten times that and it hasn't been three years yet. I hope that continues in the future and that you guys continue to enjoy or at least find my work entertaining enough so that it is better than doing nothing.**

I awoke with pain flaring through my body. I opened my eyes slightly only for a harsh sunlight to blind me slightly as I slowly rose to stand. I stood up with my head slightly lowered to look at the ground to limit the amount of sunlight that my eyes would be exposed to, I stayed like that until my eyes were adjusted from the pain. (What happened to me?) I thought as I slowly looked myself over to find that my scales had darkened to an almost midnight black. (At least I can try to form a new personality, live a different life.) I thought as I slowly began to chuckle at the thought. My voice immediately worrying me, it sounded raspy, as if I had not had any sufficient nutrients for days.

My mind immediately thought back to what happened before I passed out. (How could a single scale make me collapse and fight to survive?) I asked myself in thought as I walked to get to the nearest river, not trusting my flying capabilities. I arrived at a small stream, the clear water flowing smoothly downstream, my reflection showing that my garnet eyes had changed to a pure emerald green as I lowered my head and took several gulps of the refreshing water. I felt relieved as the water took away some of the parched feeling inside my throat. My mind began to think about the countless details that I would need to remember. (A name for starters, I would need to find my element for that, it could be several different things given my luck.)

My thought process was interrupted as something hard slammed into my back. My body acting on its own I shrugged off the attack to leap to the side and get into an aggressive posture, my wings arched and tense, my tail stiff and ready to use as a weapon as I stared down a dragon I didn't think I'd see again. Not so soon anyway. "Who are you?" She spoke, her voice sounding more mature than I remember. "What's it to you?" I asked, my voice changing to a deeper pitch to hide who I was. "I want to ask if you've seen a green drake come by, he's been missing for some time now." She said, advancing slowly. I leapt back further as I responded. "Going to need to be more specific. Lots of green drake I've seen in my time."

My words made her sigh in frustration as she advanced again. "He's been missing for over ten years. The rest of his friends have given up on him returning, but I do not know. I just feel like he's still alive." She said making my eyes widen in shock. (I have been out of it for ten years or more, what happened.) I thought as I quickly regained my composure. "I saw him yes, I can show you where I saw him headed. Follow me." I said, my voice fighting to return to normal as we took off back towards the ruins. She was hot on my tail, looking at me whenever I looked back at her. (Inferno you sure have become quite the stunning dragon.) I thought before laughing inwardly at the thought.

We flew to the ruins of the temple to see a weird sight. Where I had landed stood a statue; "That can't be right, I landed there." I muttered under my breath, I was then bitten on the tail and flung directly towards the ground. I spread my wings wide as I had done in the past to lessen the pain as I landed hard, my head snapping to meet the ground. "Stop reminding me of him!" Inferno shouted as she landed in front of me. "You sound like him, you have his cautious actions and worst of all, and you don't fight back like he did." She continued, her eyes watering making me feel sorry for her as I decided to keep my distance to avoid any more hostile confrontations.

"I'm sorry ma'am. However, you must understand that I have lived out here for several years; I have not seen a city since I was kicked out for being different. So being cautious is only instinct, me not fighting back is my moral and ethical side. Unless you do something that makes my life in danger that I can't avoid I will not strike back." I said, her face immediately looking distraught as she walked towards the statue, I looked on as well, finally realising what it meant to be looking at your own memorial of sorts. Pieces were scribbled on the stone. One of them stood out to me as it looked like it had been carved on by a dragon that had lost their mind yet I somehow could understand what it said.

"Oh fuck." I muttered under my breath, the writing then disappearing. "What is it?" Inferno asked me making me sigh as I shook my head. "The one that landed here, might have been the dragon you're looking for, however, it said that he was still alive. Just not who dragons remembered him." I responded slowly, seeing her face turn immediately into a face combined of both hope and joy. "Does it say where he might be?" She asked me making me smile lightly as I decided to drop the deep voice as it was making my throat ache wit keeping it up. "It said he underwent a small transformation." I hinted, seeing her tilt her head in confusion, smiling, I continued.

"His scales darkened, becoming like the sky at the new moons night, while his eyes reflection the grass during a calm spring day." I said seeing her eyes widen before she shook her head in denial. "You're lying." She simply stated making me sigh as I decided to come out with it. "I wish I was Inferno, but I'm not." As soon as her name was said, she looked at me with shock, tears forming in her eyes before she shook her head again. "Why should I believe you?" She said making me sigh as I decided to try to make her realise. "My last words to you where that I would be back and that I was going for a walk after defending us both against a cheetah that was possessed by something that wanted its master to rise."

That made her realise that it was really me, she slowly walked forward, her eyes filling with more tears as she slowly inspected me. "Why didn't you come home?" She asked me making me sigh as I told her everything I could remember. The flight, something taking control of me, a scale that caused me to pass out to me waking up here. "So you couldn't come home because you were unconscious the whole time?" She asked me which I only responded by nodding my head towards her. "I wanted to keep up a façade in case anyone I knew wanted to hurt me, I assumed you would as we hadn't seen each other but I acknowledge that I fully deserve one after what I just put you through."

She smiled sadly at me as she slowly rested her head against mine. "I couldn't hit you Leo. Not when I know it is within reason that you did what you did. You couldn't have stopped it, though it begs the question as to why the scale knocked you out, the only estimation I can come up with is that it was an old opponent that you could either be related to or the chronicler has plans for something which I haven't heard of yet." She said making me look at her with shock. "What happened to the other Guardians?" I asked, seeing her sigh as she responded. "They're all fine, Ignitus however, passed on to help Spyro and Cynder." She said making me sigh in sadness as I shook my head slowly.

"We should head back now, before dragons or your lover wonder where you went." I said seeing her dart her head to glare at me as her tail quickly whipped out to hit me behind the head. "What was that for?" I asked her seriously seeing her continue to glare daggers at me as she merely took off. (Too soon?) I thought to myself as I slowly took off after her. I flew a few feet behind her to make sure that she could land first. I saw a few blurs ahead of us and decided to get ready in case of an attack, I didn't have to wait long as a volley of arrows were launched from below, I narrowly avoided them, some just scratching the scales, a second volley followed shortly after.

This time an arrow tore through the membrane of my left wing making me grunt from the pain before steering myself away from the remaining volley of arrows to find a spot to land. I saw Cheetahs lining the wall aiming at me still as I touched down, my wing falling uselessly to the ground as dragons ran out to surround me. "Been a few years since I've seen this scenario. But the outcome won't be the same." I taunted, switching my voice to be deeper again as the fight was about to start a sudden shrill yell made them all stand back. A silver dragoness walked up to me, her soot black horns outlining her face as her blood red eyes stared into my own emerald green.

"You do not want to fight." She simply stated making me chuckle slightly. "Do you possess the ability to override thoughts because it isn't working on me, sorry." I said seeing her chuckle herself before she sighed. "Have it your way." She finished by spinning around, her tail hooking my jaw as she did so. My mind went into a familiar state as I stared her down. "Now you are going to die slow." I seethed, poison dripping from my maw as I continued to stare her down. Her look showed true over confidence as I began to train my aim on her. Following her every move, letting the poison drip onto my front talons. It appeared she did not notice as she walked forward.

Her eyes locked with mine again as the poison stopped flowing, instead a dark, almost grim burning sensation replaced it, and I chuckled at the feeling, having felt it before. Surprising me, black flames were flowing out of my maw as the dragoness backed up slightly in fear. "That's what I thought." I chuckled darkly, the flames receding back into me as Inferno landed at my side. "Are you alright?" She asked me making me chuckle. "You know I've survived far worse than a simple torn membrane." I replied seeing her nod solemnly before turning to the silver dragoness. "Stephanie you need to remember that I can take care of myself, you do not need to get suspicious of every being around me."

Her words made me glance at her awkwardly before Stephanie responded. "Alright, but he still needs to be challenged. It's how I find out if guests are worthy of staying here." She said making me sigh as I cleared my throat. "I don't know about you but it seems unfair doesn't it. Because if it's a one versus one I have a brute strength advantage, if it's a five or six versus one then you have a number advantage." I said seeing her nod her head slowly before her tail lashed out at me. My body acting on pure instinct I caught the tail in my teeth before flapping my wings as hard as I could. Lifting her off the ground. I slowly climbed higher and higher as she tried to fight against the grip I had on her tail.

Getting bored of her struggling I let her go only to fold my wings and dive after her. My outstretched claws tearing through her scales as I impacted her. Her eyes flashed as a voice boomed in my mind. "Release me!" It bellowed, making a migraine shoot through my head as I smirked. "Telepathic pressure is all well and good, but not against someone who is already on the border of insanity." I said with a maniacal grin spreading across my face, almost ear to ear. "Leo that's enough. You've proven yourself." Inferno stated I never broke my gaze from my opponent. "You misunderstood my earlier words Inferno, I held back because of Ignitus keeping a grip on my chains, I can kill now and not be too fearful because I am no longer a member of Warfang."

My words hung in the air as the meaning sunk into my opponent. Her eyes were the size of dragon eggs when she realized that I was going to follow up on my threat. I began advancing, a small chuckle flowing past my lips. "I learned young that killing the ones you hate, felt good, ecstasy level good. I have held back until now, so get ready, because you can't hurt what you can't see." I chuckled darkly. Her eyes looking like they were about to fall out given how open they were. "Leo, you are vouched for by me, you don't need to kill her." Inferno said, getting in between us and nuzzling under my lower jaw. My mind beginning to war with itself about what to do.

"Inferno, you knew the old me. Even then it was only very little of that old me. You don't know the full me." I said as she moved her head to the side of my own face, her nose just touching the outer lining of my ear. "But the Leo I knew would never murder their best friend in cold blood." She whispered making me realize she was right. (I cannot, no matter how much I want to, I cannot slay the only one that understood me back then.) I thought in turmoil as my body began to shake. "You're right. I won't kill, but that doesn't mean that I won't get you out of the way in another manor." I spoke in a voice that was not of my own. It spoke with a dark, almost hissing, manor that made inferno step back in shock as the other dragons got ready to attack.

"He's been tainted, lady Inferno step back." The dragon known as Stephanie said as she advanced. Inferno looked at me shocked as I felt my body laugh in that same dark manor. "Inferno, they're right. I don't know how, but I must have been seeded when I was unconscious." I said, my voice returning to normal as a voice boomed in my mind. Unrecognisable words flew around in my mind as I sensed darkness in my mind. "Leo you can't do this I nearly lost you once I can't do it again." Inferno begged as she began to walk closer. "Lady Inferno he is the enemy, he might have helped in Ignitus pass on from this world." Stephanie warned, her voice finally showing worry.

"I do not remember anything that happened in those years I was away. I may remember them in time, but right at this moment, I cannot say that you are correct or wrong. It is best to assume the worst though. So as a final request, protect her." I said, motioning towards Inferno as I let my wings stiffen into an aggressive posture, the grass underneath my feet dying as black smoke began to violently swirl around me, obscuring me from them as it began to seep into my mouth. I was suddenly thrown into a survival instinct, hacking harshly to try and get rid of the smoke, my wings flapped once, allowing the smoke to disperse and for everything to see me.

Inferno had a look of utter horror on her face as the moon began to appear and shine down upon me. My energy being renewed in its dull glow. "Leo?" She asked, making me laugh in the dark manor again. "Don't know who you're talking about. If it is the owner of this body, he must have been deer to you though. So tragic really, young love is always the worst when it does not work. Isn't that right." I said, mocking her as she stared at me, anger beginning to show behind her eyes. Embers falling from her maw as she advanced. "Release him. This is your only warning." She spat out making me laugh harder. "If you really cared for him, you should have stopped him. Oh well, he is now one with the earth on which we walk. In addition, in his place is a true being of war, anger and loss. To put it simply, I am Ares resurrected."

Her eyes widened, the embers stopped as she started to shake. I laughed on the outside as I turned and began to fly off. However, on the inside I was torn for an unknown reason. (She got on without me for over ten years. She can do it again.) I thought as my face became apathetic. (I only hope that she will be able to forgive me in the time coming.) I continued to think as I landed at the shrine. I sighed as I walked over to a tree and began to think about the words that I had been able to read. (How could, what appears to be chicken scratch turn into a warning of 'do not trust anyone' I will never know.) I thought. As I continued to contemplate the message, I did not hear the sound of wings overhead.

Inferno landed near the shrine snapping me out of my thought process. "You really want him back then." I whispered, seeing her only stare me down with despair in her eyes. "What is it going to take to get him back?" Inferno asked me, stunning me shortly as I thought about it. (She seriously wants me back. I cannot allow that to happen.) I thought, as I looked her dead in the eyes. "You can't get him back, what part of 'one with the earth on which we walk' don't you understand?" I laughed. (I have to make it believable otherwise; I will not be able to get her away from me.) I thought in sadness as Inferno sank to her knees. "I'm willing to do anything. Please, just let me see him at least once more."

 **Well folks this took a while but I thought it turned out all right except for the ending. I could have continued but I did do it in the document and I do not think you all would have the time to read 10k words. As much as you might want to, I also must save things for future chapters. Now about the ending, it will be explained in time. So be patient, as for the whole idea of a romance well. Missing it can make anyone do some weird things. I am not much of an online romance genre writer as most people under that would want the completely X-rated content. (R rating in other countries or MA on this site.) (Sex) Which I will not write without reason. Call me whatever for that but I do not like romance unless it has meaning. Call me a sucker for a good story I do not really care.**

 **Anyway, as for the reason as to why this took so long. Well, life in general, friend went through some tough stuff lately and I had to help her when barely anyone else would. That and I have been in that dark place myself. Therefore, I just needed time to get myself out of it. I hope that I did all right. Let me know in reviews would you. I cannot improve or tell where I went wrong. If there is something, you want to see (Besides X or R or MA content) leave it in a review and I will see if I can. Anyway I believe that is all folks so until next time. This is SWC-AM signing off and going to freaking bed. 4:50am now of writing this Jesus Christ on a pogo stick I am a night owl.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Another spyro chapter, about damn time. I know I have not been on top of things recently but with work and two other stories that need to be updated, I am juggling quite a lot, in case you guys do not know I work from Monday to Friday for 7 hours a day right now. As well as during the weekend I like to try to relax. So writing (after making me feel like I was working 7 days a week) was put off for a while so I am just starting to get a good view on the bigger picture and I'm going to try and finish the story that is most wanted by fans first. Therefore, a poll will be up on my profile about it and you can answer it. If you do not have, an account leave a review after checking it out. Even if it is in the first chapter.**

My eyes hardened at her, I responded. "What does he really mean to you?" I asked. Seeing her slowly raise her head to look at me, a defeated look on her face with despair in her eyes; "He was a very dear friend of mine; some even thought we were closer than that. When I saw him, it made me feel like we were family. He was the only one that would not laugh at any embarrassing moments while he always had the right advice for every situation. And unlike most of the male dragons he wasn't trying to get my attention, he only wanted to keep his friend happy, if hurting himself would do that then I have no doubt that he would do that." She responded making me sigh in defeat.

"Inferno," I began, dropping the act, continuing. "I would come back with you, but look at how they reacted to me. I wish that you could just forget about me but hearing that, I know you will not. You are a guardian Inferno; you cannot have a deep connection with anyone who is not of a higher member of society. I only want you to be safe, and if me being away from Warfang will do that. Then so be it." I said. Her face showed hurt as she turned away. "I know that you want me to be safe, but in the ten years you were away I learnt to cope with stress adequately enough. However you telling me to leave you be and forget about you, do you have any idea how hard it will be?"

I stood shocked at her sudden outburst. I then saw the grass under Inferno start moving as if it was raining. I felt my heart ache as I saw that. "Inferno, if I come back with you. That puts a target on my back, maybe on yours as well. With that in mind I cannot put you at risk." I said while trying to make her understand my reasoning as her head turned around to stare at me. Her eyes slowly leaking tears as she slowly nodded. "I can take care of myself Leo. I have had to deal with people upset that I was nominated to be a guardian and not either Spyro or themselves." She said making me chuckle as I saw her eyes harden at my response. "Sounds like Warfang. Though it does actually beg the question as to why Spyro was not chosen, then again, someone has to save the realms."

Inferno merely nodded at this and turned around, now facing me. "You don't have to do this Leo. I can make them see you like someone they can trust. In time you will be freely welcome in Warfang." Inferno pleaded, her body beginning to shake. Sighing, I walked towards her. "And if that time does not happen?" I asked her, slowly draping a wing over her back to try to comfort her. "Then it is not the Warfang that we both grew up in." She responded as my face changed into a small smile. "Inferno, if you did get me into the city and if by some miracle the others accept me, what will happen afterwards, there are many more factors that need to be considered."

She chuckled at this. "If you're worried about living space you have two choices, sleep in the temple or you could rest in your home in Warfang. However, it will have to be cleaned of dust since I kept it paid in your absence. To make sure no one used it or saw the letters." She stated making me sigh half-heartedly with a small smile on my face. "You really want me to come back, with only hope that it will be different." I began, before stopping. "Hang on; if I'm a dark dragon now, I could take some of the focus off of Cynder and onto me." I muttered, unfortunately Inferno heard me. She placed her head under my own with a threatening growl leaving her.

"Don't go there with me. I won't let that happen to you," Inferno stated angrily. My face hardening as I shot her a quick glare. "It will happen no matter what you try to do. The dragons of Warfang only truly care about what they were told as kids for generations. It will take Cynder and I being dead for thousands of years before they realise that not all dark dragons are evil." I stated with a sake like smile on my face as Inferno sighed, taking off in the direction of Warfang. I followed when I could just keep her in eyesight, when she disappeared I sped up, realizing the third time she disappeared she had changed course to circle around Warfang. With that thought in my head I landed, cursing my luck. However, I was quickly reminded of the fact that I taught her when we were younger to defend herself.

 **Flashback sequence.**

"Alright Inferno, now bring your tail around to guard yourself." I spoke, authority in my tone as Inferno did as I asked. Her spear like tail slowly gliding across her small form, her eyes looked at me, almost anticipating my next command. "Alright Inferno, I'll not ask you to repeat it because you'll do it at the same speed. However, no enemy will wait for you to get you to raise your guard." I spoke with minor encouragement. Seeing her nod her head she still kept her eyes trained on me, more specifically, my eyes. "Very good, you have learned to resist most of the temptation to brake the gaze of your opponent by looking away, looking into the eyes of your opponent can be the difference in a fight."

I saw her hang off my words as I continued. "The eyes are windows to the dragon's very core, its soul. If you can understand the soul of a dragon, you can begin to predict or guess their next attack. Of course, if the dragon breaks contact with you and then attacks you will have a harder time predicting his movements. I can say that this takes very little effort but it takes months if not years of training. So tell me Inferno, what does my soul tell you about me?" I asked her seeing her gaze intensify as she stared into my eyes, focusing intently on trying to read my soul. Eventually she sighed and shook her head. "I can't understand it Leo. It's to blank."

Her response made me sigh as I walked forward. "Inferno, you focus too much on trying to force the answer, let it come naturally. Just look into my eyes, you may not even realise you have read the attack pattern until the blows begin. Just let your sub conscious do all the work. Let thoughts and guesses override solid thought if you begin doubting it." I instructed as I slowly began to easy towards her. My tail snapping into a guard position in front of me, the action made Inferno step back in instinct. My eyes stared coldly into her own; I saw her reluctance to attack a close friend, her fear of hurting me as well as her overwhelming doubt that I should be taking time out of the day to train her.

With her eyes giving that away, I shook my head lightly. "There will come a time when I may be an obstacle you need to overcome. If that time were now I would have finished you and done what I was supposed to do. You need to face this fear head on, if you do not want to attack a friend, see them as your enemy. If you have doubt then rid yourself of it. Focus, there is only one enemy and one of you, so what is there to be afraid of? Abandon your fear, do not give an inch, advance and never stop. Retreat and you will age, fear and you will die. Face them with a high head and a steady stance. Show them no mercy." I instructed; my words seeming to calm her as a fire began to form in her eyes.

Her breathing had calmed, her stance tensed, her eyes narrowed and her tail finally began to move to the proper guard. It stretched across her front and left side, making her neck and wings harder targets to get at. (Harder, but not impossible.) I thought to myself as I steadied my stance, my experience in the situation coming into to play as I shrunk my body, my legs tensing like springs. The sparring started with Inferno lashing her tail out, my tail easily caught the blow, the whip like crack that sounded at the collision made me realise she had finally hit with a full intention of causing harm. "That's more like it. Let's have some fun with this new side of you."

My words were followed up by laughter on her part. She laughed slowly, her tail coiling back into the guard position. "I guess that means I don't have to hold back any more. I was getting tired of doing this." She said, though her voice was gruffer, almost masculine. My eyes widened as a second, much more powerful blow, was launched at me. My eyes focused as I leapt back to dodge the attack. "Too slow." Inferno said from behind me. (What? I never took my eyes off her; she could not be able to pull off illusions, and her speed is not that fast. So what happened?) I thought before her tail slammed into my back, my eyes widening at the power in the blow.

I landed to the cold floor with pain flaring through my underside. "What happened to you?" I asked as I struggled to stand through the pain. "I simply stopped holding back." Inferno retorted; her eyes closed. "We both know that's bullshit. So just admit what happened, and tell me your real name, stop posing as someone who I know." I commanded, some of the pain fading as I stood tall, my eyes hardening as her eyes opened. Pure white irises stared back. "You want to know who I am." She stated rhetorically with a chuckle while still using that deeper voice. "I go by many different names, but here's one that will stick with you. Lemuel is one of my names." Inferno stated; my eyes widened as the surroundings became white.

 **End Flashback sequence.**

My eyes remained wide as the name rang through my head. A sudden realisation hit me as I thought. (She never remembered that day, when I thought about telling her I would hold off. She is like me; I need to find out what she knows while trying to help her. Any wrong move and this thing, Lemuel, comes to the forefront of her being and lashes out. Just like my own.) I thought; my eyes calmed as a dragon I remembered landed across from me. "Greetings." I said in a peaceful manner, using a deeper voice again. "Inferno wanted to meet with me here. I have no idea why." Cynder stated. "Probably nothing to serious." I said with a small smile. Cynder eyed me carefully.

"Another dark dragon; I guess I shouldn't be surprised, I did let some live." Cynder stated making my body tense automatically. "Casually talking about your kills, I would expect nothing less." I stated casually while I paid attention to the way her metal claws were beginning to scrape the ground. "What about you? How do you talk about your kills?" Cynder asked me, her eyes finally looking into my own as I laughed. "My kills were nothing to spectacular, just ripping wings off at a fatal height and watching them fall, screaming in agony back down to the earth." I responded seeing Cynder nod her head as her eyes darkened. "A bit of over confidence in your voice could get you killed."

Her words brought a small smile to my face as I nodded. "I guess so, but if you've lived with this burden, I believe it gives you a little leeway in how you can act. Given that we both know what we are and I know you it would be respectful to say my own name." I saw Cynder's gaze harden, my words having an effect on her. However, before I could think of a name I saw Inferno land in between us. "Cynder, I need to ask something of you." She stated, her voice now carrying authority, as if she was a completely different being. "What is it Inferno?" Cynder asked; glancing between Inferno and I, I began to tense my body on instinct. "I need you to help him understand his abilities; he's been using close combat for the most part of his life. Therefore, he needs some help understanding his elemental capabilities. You're the only one I trust with this Cynder."

Cynder looked shocked at me; I merely shrugged. "So why has he been holding off on his abilities?" Cynder asked making me sigh as I spoke up. "Because in Warfang I was treated like a freak; so I fled and have changed over my ten year absence." I answered, using my normal voice. Cynder immediately recognised the voice. "Leo?" Cynder asked. A clear sign of confusion on her face as I chuckled. "Yeah, it's me." I replied, seeing Cynder look at me with slight fear. "Don't worry Cynder, nothing bad is happening, I just had to get away for a while. As far as I know everything that is dead is staying that way." I said. However, my surroundings quickly darkened until all I could see is myself, everything else was shrouded in the darkness.

I saw my whole body contort until I was the bipedal creature once again. "Why do I keep seeing myself like this?" I asked, before I saw myself in a home, however the home was not empty. What looked like a couple walked through the front door, both of their faces were darkened so I could not see their facial expressions. Though I could tell, they were clearly distraught. "How long until we find him David?" A female voice asked, the voice striking me with the familiarity of it. "We'll find him, even if it means going to the moon to get him back. I promise you Maria." A male voice said, sounding like he was on the verge of breaking down. Looking over my shoulder however, I saw Tenebris standing next to a doorway.

"These are your birth parents Leo. I'm not the enemy here, I just want you to be on top of your game, if hurting you or those closest to you does that, then so be it." He stated, his eyes softening. "Hold on," I began. "If those are my birth parents, why do I have no memories of them?" I asked him. His next few words shocked me. "Because Ignitus took you to the dragon realms." He stated. My eyes widened at his words. "So what am I seeing?" I asked him. Seeing him crack a small, friendly smile; "You're seeing them in real time; this is the present day, every year you spend in the dragon realms another year passes here. Time has been synced by Ignitus' orders. So when you had done your time here you could go back with no memory of anything and just be a broken human."

I could not believe it, but a question was still on my mind. "I need to know one thing, what about Inferno? She has a being like you in her mind." As those words were out of my mouth, he froze stiff. His eyes once again became the menacing glare. "Did you get its name?" he demanded with a sense of urgency in his voice and, after telling him the flashback I had seen, he stood there, unmoving. "She is like you; she is probably going through the same sort of thing right now, however, you cannot bring this up to her. Ignitus made her the fire guardian to keep her in the dragon realms. I wouldn't be surprised if he is still alive." He stated before I was returned to the clearing.

Inferno was lying down, her closed eyes leaking tears; I stood up and advanced towards her. "Inferno?" I asked her, seeing her head shake rapidly. "Don't call me that. That is not my name." She stated in clear hysterics. "Cynder, I need you to get Spyro, tell him it's urgent." I stated urgently seeing her nod and take off. "Leo?" Inferno asked, her state calming down slowly. "I'm here, don't worry." I said reassuringly. "What happened?" She asked me. Thinking quickly I replied worriedly. "You started to speak as if in a conversation, then collapsed and didn't move. When you woke up, I did not know what to do, so I sent Cynder to get Spyro, so just rest. You need your strength."

As we waited, I knew Inferno was staring at me with uncertainty as I sat like a sentry with my head checking the surroundings constantly. "Leo, what happened to you when I collapsed?" Inferno asked. "When you collapsed I ran to check your pulse, thinking you had been attacked and I didn't catch it. When I knew that you had a strong pulse I relaxed, so I walked back to where I as when you collapsed so as not to scare you when you woke up. I have only been awake a couple of hours myself and I don't want myself being roasted until I have had a few years go by." I joked seeing inferno nod her head before she walked over to me. Resting her head on my shoulder, she began to doze off.

I shook my head with a light chuckle, my nose picked up two different scents nearby. I quickly got up, Inferno catching herself and staying silent at the look on my face. I raised a talon to tell her to wait as I stealthily tried to locate the source of these new scents. When I found them, I was surprised; I couldn't identify them, they stood in front of a portal, its dark, almost void like appearance seeming menacing at first glance. Until the sound of a struggle was made evident as a being came through the portal dragging something behind it. The being that as being dragged as quickly silenced by the second figure jabbing something into its neck. The figure struggled for a short time before lying still.

I watched the being then begin to take a new form, the sounds of bones snapping and skin tearing reached my ears. The body on the floor writhing uncontrollably as wings sprouted from the back and a tail from the rear. "That is it. The final one." The figure that dragged the being through the portal spoke, the voice sounding both familiar and unknown. "Good, now the final one needs to be left to fend for herself, let the other two find her and let her real name stick with her, in fact keep all her memories there. We need to move on with this plan already as finding this one took way to long." The second voice spoke. The voice being completely unfamiliar.

 **So Ignitus is the bad guy, or is Tenebris playing Leo? To be honest I know how I want this story to go but I will not spoil it for you guys, but you have to admit I got you with that little twist. I doubt anyone saw that coming, however, if by some miracle you did see it coming then we need to talk and share ideas. Because you may be my doppelganger. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed that chapter and this is one of the easier stories to write at this current point in time. In addition, given that my area might be getting floods I might not be updating for a while. Service being down and all that really fun stuff. Anyway, I hope that you guys and girls keep reading this and until next time, I am out to get some sleep.**


	5. Chapter 5

**About damn time I uploaded a new spyro chapter, I apologise for this taking so long but I have not been in a stable mind set as of late so this chapter may mark a new side of the main character. I apologise to those that like the way the story started out as it is going to take a dark turn for the moment. Of course it won't be too dark as I am still somewhat my old self but that will change with time. So until I become either the old me or the new me, the stories on here will reflect my transition.**

They left shortly after. The figure remaining stationary as I continued to watch it, my senses beginning to tell me to go and help it I began to slowly advance, my tail curved around to the front of myself in a defensive posture. I never took my eyes off the figure as I advanced. "Are you conscious?" I cautiously asked as I came to a stop at the beings side. Seeing it was a moonlight grey dragon, it stirred as I approached. "W-what?" The being replied, disclosing that it was a female. "I simply asked if you are conscious, we need to get you to safety." I said seeing her look up at me with her amber eyes before beginning to shake. "D-don't e-eat m-me." She pleaded making me look at her with confusion. "Why would you think I would eat you?"

My response clearly unnerved her as she began to tremble. "Y-you're a-a d-d-dragon." She stated, still trembling. "Yes I am, but I don't understand why I would eat you." I replied, my voice soft so as not to frighten her any more with my tail slowly going behind me. "Are you alright?" I asked her receiving only a nod; "Can you stand?" I asked with a slight amount of concern. She slowly stood, before attempting to stand on her hind legs. "What are you doing miss?" I asked. Seeing her look at me with confusion. "How are you my height?" She asked. I simply smiled slightly. "Look at yourself miss. That will answer quite a lot of questions." I told her seeing her look at her front legs and gasp in both shock and fear.

"H-how?" She asked her breathing increasing in a blind panic. I slowly inched forward. "It's okay, you are safe." I reassured her, lying down to seem as passive as possible. "W-what happened to me?" She asked and I widened my eyes. "Miss, can I ask what you last remember?" I asked her seeing her close her eyes. "I was with a group of friends, we were heading to school, one of my friends said something about the boy that used to go to our school." I listened closely. Before being bolder with my next question. "Were you and your friends bipedal?" I asked her seeing her open her eyes and look at me with shock. "How did you know?" She asked. "I will tell you later, right now, we need to regroup with a few friends of mine. We can continue to talk there." I said, my eyes finally looking away from her to scan the surroundings before I stood back up.

A smile forming on her face as I stood up, "Has anyone ever said that you aren't all that bad looking?" She asked me making me look at her in mild shock. "No, I never really got along with the rest of the kind. Because I was found abandoned at the entrance of the city I was treated as an outcast. As such, no one looked at me twice, and those that did were treated like me. Therefore, in the end I stopped trying for friends. I guess it never really was meant to be." I told, my voice becoming cold at the end. "That's rough." She stated; I merely rolled my eyes. "Tell me about it. Not a very pleasant childhood." I stated with anger hidden in my voice. "Well, you aren't that bad. You helped someone you didn't know, you didn't have to." She stated making me smile slightly.

"Thanks, do you have a name?" I asked her seeing her smile. "Sapphire." She replied, my eyes turning to the sound of incoming footfalls. "Who's there?" I asked; stepping in front of sapphire with my wings slightly flared. "Leo there you are." The voice of inferno stated with relief as I saw her emerge from the bushes. "Leo? Why does that name sound familiar?" Sapphire whispered making me sigh. "I will explain later, we need to go, anywhere away from Warfang. You know that I can't return Inferno." I stated seeing Inferno nod her head sadly. "I know; you need to understand that you will be allowed to visit." She said making me sigh as I slowly shook my head.

"You can try Inferno, but it may be a while before that happens. But if it does, you know how to contact me." I stretch lightly, feeling the joints in my wings pop lightly as well as the joints in my back. "You look like a cat." Sapphire stated making Inferno and I chuckle. "While I do know that a cat is a feline, the only feline's here are the cheetahs. And they don't stretch like that." I stated seeing Sapphire stare at me shocked. "How is this even possible?" She asked making me look at her with a serious expression. "I don't know, but whatever happened had to have happened for a reason." I stated seeing Sapphire look at me with shock. "You remind me of someone, though I can't place where I knew someone with that ideology of 'everything happens for a reason'."

I chuckled and shook my head lightly. "Beings that think like that are rare; we tend to keep to ourselves normally." I stated seeing her chuckle as Inferno looked at me. "What will happen to her? She doesn't seem to know the first thing about being a dragon." Inferno stated making me look at Sapphire to see that she was right. Sapphire had her wings hanging limply down by her side and her tail motionless behind her. "I'll teach her the same way that I taught you. Though getting her used to the new muscles may be difficult." I stated seeing them both look at me. "What do you mean 'new muscles' Leo?" Inferno asked making me sigh. "It would take too long to explain."

My words made her look at me with confusion before she shook her head. "I'm not buying that excuse Leo. What are you hiding from me?" she asked making me sigh as I looked at her. "Don't worry about it, I was thinking out loud." I reassured seeing her sigh. "Just tell me when you feel like it." Inferno whispered concerned and I chuckled lightly. "I was just thinking out loud Inferno, don't worry." I reassured her again seeing her shake her head slightly before Sapphire spoke up. "What are you both on about?" She asked. I looked at her and smiled lightly. "Just about teaching you a few things, you look exhausted. Therefore, we will take you to someplace safe where you can rest."

My words made her look at me as she smiled and nodded. "Okay, can I get some help? I don't think I'll be able to walk my way over there." She explained and I nodded. Lifting her wing and placing it over me. "Just lean lightly on me, until you can get used to your new weight." I whisper to her as we began to hobble towards a nearby cave. "This style of walking feels unnatural." She stated making me sigh and shake my head lightly. "You'll get better at it eventually. Time offers chances to adapt, it is up to us to accept it or not." I responded hearing her chuckle. "That sounds so familiar." She says making me sigh as I shook my head. "Phrases like that are common amongst philosophical people, sort of second nature to us."

Sapphire chuckled lightly. "Leo the philosopher, a fitting title." She stated making me chuckle at her remark. "Better than what I am known amongst the others." I laughed quietly before walking inside the cave and setting her down near the back of the cave. "That should keep you safe until the morning. When you can get used to your new muscles I'll train you in close quarters." I said softly seeing her look at me with a small smile. "You definitely are taking more precautions than necessary." Sapphire stated with a light chuckle as I shook my head. "Outside the city, it's kill or be killed. So it's not unnecessary precautions, it's all more along the lines of playing it safe."

My words made Sapphire look at me, "You sound like you've expected everything. Are you the one that did this to me?" She asked, trying to stand up. I shook my head. "If I brought you here what reason would I have, I have nothing to gain from teaching you anything." I responded calmly while watching her stand shakily. "I can think of one reason, you want my body as payment for teaching me." She said with anger. "If I wanted your body, I wouldn't teach you how to defend yourself before that. Moreover, I do not do that. I have standards that I live by." I chuckled seeing her look at me suspiciously. "I guess you have a point but you haven't explained to me why we don't return to this city you and Inferno mentioned."

I sighed. "The city is where I grew up, a lot of things having happened to me in there because I have no family there. They will treat you worse than me because of our different genders. You will find that unlike me they do not really care about other beings emotions and opinions. They only care about themselves." I state with anger beginning to creep into my voice. "What's to say that you aren't manipulating me to believe you?" She asked making me laugh lightly. "I guess your concerns are valid, but until you can learn how to be a dragon you are easy prey for anything. Even a cheetah could kill you at this rate so for now you need to learn what you can do in this new form."

My words made her look at me with both shock and surprise. "So you state that I cannot defend myself?" She asked making me nod. "At least in this for you can't, you can try but whatever methods you may know they won't work with your new form." I state and smirk. Sapphire looked at me with a small amount of fear showing in her eyes. "What are you smirking about?" She asked making me chuckle lightly. "Alright, whoever you are you can come out, there is no point in hiding." I stated while turning around to face the entrance of the cave to see a green dragon hatchling walk inside, trembling lightly. I stared at it. "Parents dead little one?" I ask it warily seeing it collapse in the entrance.

"We have to help it." Sapphire stated, I shook my head. "A hatchling that walked from the city to here wouldn't have survived, it's a three day walk where you have to fight for most of it. I do not think that this is just a random hatchling. Something wants to keep an eye on either of us." I stated seeing Sapphire shake her head. "What if its parents lived out here and it got lost?" She asked and I shook my head slowly. "Then the parents know the risk of letting it out of their sight, I wouldn't be surprised if they already think that it's dead." I sigh and walk over to it slowly. Seeing it still shiver from the loss of body heat. "Why aren't you going to help it? If you lived like this surely you don't want it to happen to anyone else."

Sapphire's words made me sigh as I look at her. "You are right. However, if this young one grows up its whole life living under us, it will see us as it's parents which only makes it worse if we find it's real parents somewhere. Now what you need to understand is that you are new, you do not understand the rules of the wild here. But it's the best thing if we leave it alone." I state sadly, as I nudge it out of the entrance of the cave. Seeing it slowly open its emerald green eye open and look at me with hurt. "Little one you know the rules of the wild. What you thought when you began to walk in the open as young as you are is a mystery to me but I cannot help you. My apologies young one. However if you are determined to reach the city you can head that way and the city should be visible in the coming days if you start now."

My words seemed to upset the hatchling as it stayed where it was and refused to move. I chuckled at its stubbornness. "You're a stubborn little bastard." I stated seeing the hatchling give off a small smirk as Sapphire tried to push me to the side. "You really are heartless you know that?" She nearly screamed at me as I sighed. "I've got one hatchling to deal with already I don't need another. Moreover, if this hatchling did enter our care we would raise a warrior. To top it off it looks like it is not even old enough to hunt for itself so I would have to hunt for three rather than two, which is already on my nerves." I stated trying to remain calm as the corners of my vision turned a light red.

"It doesn't matter, that just means that it had more will power to find someone that would raise it. It is exhausted and we can both see that. Why don't you swallow that stubborn pride of yours and help someone who needs it?" Sapphire screamed causing me to shake my head lightly to rid my ears of the light ringing. "I can see that. If it had the determination to walk out of the city, through an area that even I do not travel and make it here, it has guts if nothing else. However, I still do not like the idea of raising it; you have your memories that are clouding your moral judgement here in a practical sense. I understand that females of all species have a motherly instinct. I have gotten on the bad side of a few occasions. However, it does not change the fact that while it may have guts it does not have much else going for it. It would grow up overconfident in its abilities which would only get it killed."

 **Again, I apologise for both the long wait and the character turn at the end of it. I also would like to know your opinion on this story, no matter how negative, positive or apathetic you people want it to be. Anyway, I should get started on the next chapter immediately as I am three days late on that already. I hope to have the next Champion update up in sync with this one.**


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